The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography from the Revolution to the First World War
Where to buy The Discovery of France: A Past Geography from the Revolution to the First World War books online?
- ISBN13: 9780393059731
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
Product Description
A narrative of exploration—full of weird landscapes and even weirder inhabitants—that clarifies the enduring fascination of France. While Gustave Eiffel was changing the skyline of Paris, large parts of France were still terra incognita. Even in the age of railways and newspapers, France was a land of very ancient clannish divisions, prehistoric communication networks, and pre-Christian beliefs. French itself was a minority language.
Graham Robb describes that unknown world in arresting narrative detail. He recounts the epic journeys of mapmakers, scientists, soldiers, administrators, and intrepid tourists, of itinerant workers, pilgrims, and herdsmen with their millions of migratory domestic animals. We learn how France was explored, charted, and colonized, and how the imperial influence of Paris was gradually extended throughout a kingdom of isolated towns and villages.
The Discovery of France clarifies how the modern nation came to be and how poorly understood that nation still is today. Above all, it shows how much of France—past and present—remains to be learned. 8 pages of color and 8 pages of black-and-white illustrations
Buy Cheap The Discovery of France: A Past Geography from the Revolution to the First World War Online
Related posts:
- Contemporary World Regional Geography
- An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith
- World Regional Geography: Global Patterns, Local Lives
- The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World
- The Necessary Revolution: Working Together to Create a Sustainable World
Enjoying antropology and reading about the background social scenery of various regions, especially France,I establish this book to be longwinded, uninteresting, and it is the first book I have ever returned. I cannot remember one appealing fact to tell you about this book.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This was a very well reviewed book about an appealing theme. Which trailed off at the end, drew few conclusions, and pointed out human stupidity. But did suggest that travel in France could be appealing. If one looked off the beaten path.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
From all the reviews I thought this would be a really in-depth and well researched book on french history from a provincial perspective. And it is, but as another reviewer pointed out, it also seems like a covert diatribe against the french and their culture.
One reviewer mentions his description of the peasents as being poor, isolated, brutish and ignorant while letting paris itself off by passing mentions of its chimney sweeps and beggers.
And it is right that he seems nearly vindictivly determined beneath his polished academia to air some of frances dirty laundry.
If a frenchman did a simliar tour around britain, he’d undoubtably be able to match him tale for tale – so why bring it up?
Facts are facts. But a bias for the negative to make a theme look terrible is exactly that.
I establish this book disappointing. The research is weighty and multi-dimensional, but it still smacks of british/french rivalry to me. If the leader could have left that behind I reflect it would have been a much more enjoyable read. As it is, I reflect it just leaves you with a slightly hurt viewpoint of the french people. As if they only managed to pull their nation together by sheer luck, or from simply being unable to prevent it from happening no matter how much they fought it with their ignorance, self-absortion and disunity.
Appealing and in-depth research, but on so many incidents that patronise his theme matter, I would only give this two stars for the writing.
Not recommended.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
Highly touted book, many quaint episodes, emphasis on the isolated, poor, brutish, ignorant, superstitious, cruel life of peasants in the provinces — nothing about the civilization, the arts, the culture, and indeed the food of France, all excellent things rumor has it that concentrated in Paris, which the book treats only from the point of view of chimneysweeps and beggars. The leader cites English travelers (no doubt of some wealth) about the lack of hygiene and decent victuals, as if life in rural England were reasonably different (c.f. Aikenfield.) He’s English; does he like France?
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
Book was in fantastic condition, arrived in a timely fashion- could not be more pleased!
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5